Showing papers on "Marginal land published in 2009"
TL;DR: In this article, the authors assess the potential of ethanol supply in China by examining potential non-food crops as feedstock; emerging conversion technologies; and cost competitiveness, and show that sweet sorghum among all the nonfood feedstocks has the greatest potential.
136 citations
TL;DR: Overall, the analysis shows that agricultural production is becoming concentrated in the areas more suitable for modern agriculture while marginal agriculture areas and, particularly, extensive grazing are decreasing, and the creation of protected areas reflects the decreasing opportunity costs of marginal areas and is failing to protect the eco-regions most threatened by current land-use trends.
126 citations
TL;DR: In this article, an overall approach to assess the effectiveness of soil conservation measures at catchment scale is the comparison of sediment budgets before and after implementation of a catchment management program.
Abstract: An overall approach to assess the effectiveness of soil conservation measures at catchment scale is the comparison of sediment budgets before and after implementation of a catchment management programme. In the May Zeg-zeg catchment (187 ha) in Tigray, north Ethiopia, integrated catchment management has been implemented since 2004: stone bunds were built in the whole catchment, vegetation was allowed to re-grow on steep slopes and other marginal land, stubble grazing abandoned, and check dams built in gullies. Land use and management were mapped and analysed for 2000 and 2006, whereby particular attention was given to the quantification of changes in soil loss due to the abandonment of stubble grazing. Sediment yield was also measured at the catchment's outlet. A combination of decreased soil loss (from 14·3 t ha–1 y–1 in 2000 to 9·0 t ha–1 y–1 in 2006) and increased sediment deposition (from 5·8 to 7·1 t ha–1 y–1) has led to strongly decreased sediment yield (from 8·5 to 1·9 t ha–1 y–1) and sediment delivery ratio (from 0·6 to 0·21). This diachronic comparison of sediment budgets revealed that integrated catchment management is most effective and efficient and is the advisable and desirable way to combat land degradation in Tigray and other tropical mountains. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
124 citations
TL;DR: A spatial analysis evaluating marginal land and degraded water resources to improve feedstock productivity with concomitant environmental restoration for the state of Nebraska indicates that utilizing marginal land resources could produce enough feedstocks to meet a maximum of 22% of the energy requirements of the state compared to the current supply of 2%.
Abstract: There is a strong societal need to evaluate and understand the sustainability of biofuels, especially because of the significant increases in production mandated by many countries, including the United States. Sustainability will be a strong factor in the regulatory environment and investments in biofuels. Biomass feedstock production is an important contributor to environmental, social, and economic impacts from biofuels. This study presents a systems approach where the agricultural, energy, and environmental sectors are considered as components of a single system, and environmental liabilities are used as recoverable resources for biomass feedstock production. We focus on efficient use of land and water resources. We conducted a spatial analysis evaluating marginal land and degraded water resources to improve feedstock productivity with concomitant environmental restoration for the state of Nebraska. Results indicate that utilizing marginal land resources such as riparian and roadway buffer strips, brownfield sites, and marginal agricultural land could produce enough feedstocks to meet a maximum of 22% of the energy requirements of the state compared to the current supply of 2%. Degraded water resources such as nitrate-contaminated groundwater and wastewater were evaluated as sources of nutrients and water to improve feedstock productivity. Spatial overlap between degraded water and marginal land resources was found to be as high as 96% and could maintain sustainable feedstock production on marginal lands. Other benefits of implementing this strategy include feedstock intensification to decrease biomass transportation costs, restoration of contaminated water resources, and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.
116 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors studied trends in land use and herbaceous production in the Fakara region (Niger) from 1994 to 2006 and found an overall decreasing trend in site yields by 5% annually from 1994-2006 that is not explained by variations in rainfall.
99 citations
TL;DR: In this article, agent information was captured in four farmer types by means of cluster analysis and it was demonstrated that each farmer type shows a different relationship between landscape factors and land use changes.
81 citations
TL;DR: The feasibility to produce lignocellulosic biomass on marginal lands that are not well-suited for conventional crop production is reviewed and the need to accelerate research in the areas of agronomy, breeding, genetics, and potential pathogens is discussed.
Abstract: Due to the rapid rate of worldwide consumption of nonrenewable fossil fuels, production of biofuels from cellulosic sources is receiving increased research emphasis. Here, we review the feasibility to produce lignocellulosic biomass on marginal lands that are not well-suited for conventional crop production. Large areas of these marginal lands are located in the central prairies of North America once dominated by tallgrass species. In this article, we review the existing literature, current work, and potential of two native species of the tallgrass prairie, prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata), and little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) as candidates for commercial production of biofuel. Based on the existing literature, we discuss the need to accelerate research in the areas of agronomy, breeding, genetics, and potential pathogens. Cropping systems based on maintaining biodiversity across landscapes are essential for a sustainable production and to mitigate impact of pathogens and pests.
75 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a land evaluation decision support system (DSS) known as MicroLEIS-DSS was used to design the most sustainable land use and management practices for selected Mediterranean benchmark sites in Sevilla Province, Southern Spain.
65 citations
TL;DR: The average annual dry matter biomass of pruned mulberry branches is 1.7 kg/plant, or approximately 17.0-22.5 t/ha in Ningnan County of China's southwestern Sichuan Province as mentioned in this paper.
55 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors consider the options for large scale biorefining of high sugar perennial ryegrasses in Wales, as a model for producing sustainable, bulk quantities of chemicals, including biofuels.
Abstract: There are many factors influencing the current global interest in the biorefining of biomass feedstocks to produce a wide variety of extracts, fuels and chemicals. Identifying renewable sources of target molecules currently produced from fossil fuels is one of these, which will ultimately have a positive impact on climate change. Another driver is identifying potential uses for land masses, where a low GDP is affecting communities in those areas. From a UK perspective, a decline in total income generated from farming in Wales has had a detrimental impact on many communities right across the Principality. There is a considerable body of data to argue that with effective land use and the use of a range of enzymic and chemical processing technologies, the utilisation of lignocellulosic biomass as feedstock for a biorefining industry would result in both social and economic regeneration of these rural communities. In order to create a sustainable biorefining in Wales, alongside regeneration of the rural economy there is a requirement for expansion of the high technology skill base, in areas such as chemistry, biotechnology and engineering. The key to developing this sustainable and economically viable biorefining industry within Wales and ultimately in the UK is based on several technical issues which need to be addressed. These include ensuring that the feedstocks can be grown on marginal land which will not therefore compete with traditional food crops, the need to create local supply chains linking regions together, but which can also feed into the rapidly expanding networks of biomass-based industrial activity in other areas of the UK, and ensuring that the existing transport infrastructure can absorb this increase in activity. This paper will consider the options for large scale biorefining of high sugar perennial ryegrasses in Wales, as a model for producing sustainable, bulk quantities of chemicals, including biofuels.
45 citations
01 Jan 2009
TL;DR: In this article, a life cycle assessment was performed based on local yield and agronomic data for native grass bioenergy agriculture, which showed that utilizing Kentucky’s marginal land to grow native C4 grasses for cellulosic ethanol and bioelectricity may account for up to 13.3% and 17.2% of the states 2 trillion MJ energy consumption and reduce green house gas emissions by 68% relative to gasoline.
Abstract: The Brookings Institute analysis rate both Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky (USA) as two of the nation’s largest carbon emitters. This high carbon footprint is largely due to the fact that 95% of electricity is produced from coal. Kentucky has limited options for electric power production from low carbon sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, and hydroelectric. Other states (TN, IN, OH, WV, and IL) in this region are similarly limited in renewable energy capacity. Bioenergy agriculture could account for a proportion of renewable energy needs, but to what extent is unclear. Herein, we found that abandoned agricultural land, not including land that is in fallow or crop rotation, aquatic ecosystems, nor plant-life that had passed through secondary ecological succession totaled 1.9 Mha and abandoned mine-land totaled 0.3 Mha, which combined accounted for 21% of Kentucky’s land mass. A life cycle assessment was performed based on local yield and agronomic data for native grass bioenergy agriculture. These data showed that utilizing Kentucky’s marginal land to grow native C4 grasses for cellulosic ethanol and bioelectricity may account for up to 13.3% and 17.2% of the states 2 trillion MJ energy consumption and reduce green house gas emissions by 68% relative to gasoline.
TL;DR: In this article, the use of marginal land for lignocellulosic biofuel production is examined for system stability, resilience, and eco-social sustainability, and the effects of increased conversion efficiency, input costs, risk, and levels of base resources and inputs on the competitive and societal solutions for biomass production.
Abstract: The use of marginal land (ML) for lignocellulosic biofuel production is examined for system stability, resilience, and eco-social sustainability. A North American prairie grass system and its industrialization for maximum biomass production using biotechnology and agro-technical inputs is the focus of the analysis. Demographic models of ML biomass production and ethanol farmer/producers are used to examine the stability properties of the ML system. A bio-economic model that maximizes the utility of consumption having the dynamics of MLs and the farmer/producers as dynamic constraints is used to examine the effects of increased conversion efficiency, input costs, risk, and levels of base resources and inputs on the competitive and societal solutions for biomass production. We posit ML abandonment after biofuel production ceases could lead to permanent land degradation below initial levels that prohibit the establishment of the original flora and fauna.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used a spatially distributed process-driven model over the 20 Mha of recently abandoned agricultural lands of the Former Soviet Union to quantify the GHG mitigation by biofuel production from Low Input/High Diversity (LIHD) grass-legume prairies and compared this mitigation with the one of soil C sequestration as it currently occurs.
Abstract: Although the CO2 mitigation potential of biofuels has been studied by extrapolation of small-scale studies, few estimates exist of the net regional-scale carbon balance implications of biofuel cultivations programs, either growing conventional biofuel crops or applying new advanced technologies. Here we used a spatially distributed process-driven model over the 20 Mha of recently abandoned agricultural lands of the Former Soviet Union to quantify the GHG mitigation by biofuel production from Low Input/High Diversity (LIHD) grass-legume prairies and to compare this GHG mitigation with the one of soil C sequestration as it currently occurs. LIHD has recently received a lot of attention as an emerging opportunity to produce biofuels over marginal lands leading to a good energy efficiency with minimal adverse consequences on food security and ecosystem services. We found that, depending on the time horizon over which one seeks to maximize the GHG benefit, the optimal time for implementing biofuel production s...
TL;DR: Modeling spatially explicit potential effects on the farmland habitat diversity in a marginal European landscape indicates that transfer payments may prevent cessation of agricultural production, but may not counteract homogenization in marginal landscapes.
Abstract: Farmland habitat diversity in marginal European landscapes changed significantly in the past decades. Further changes toward homogenization are expected, particularly in the course of European agricultural policy. Based on three alternative transfer payment schemes, we modeled spatially explicit potential effects on the farmland habitat diversity in a marginal European landscape. We defined (1) a scenario with direct transfer payments coupled to production, (2) a scenario with direct transfer payments decoupled from production, and (3) a scenario phasing out all direct transfer payments. We characterized habitat diversity with three indices: habitat richness, evenness, and rarity. The habitat pattern in 1995 served as reference for comparison. All scenarios predicted a general trend of homogenization of the farmland habitat pattern, yet to a differing extent. Transfer payments coupled to production (Scenario 1) favored the abandonment of agricultural production, particularly in low-productive areas and arable land use in more productive areas. Habitat richness and habitat evenness had intermediate values in this scenario. Decoupling transfer payments from production (Scenario 2) supported grassland as most profitable farming system. This led to a grassland-dominated landscape with low values of all habitat diversity indices. Phasing out transfer payments (Scenario 3) resulted in complete abandonment or afforestation of agricultural land and extremely low values in all habitat diversity indices. Scenario results indicate that transfer payments may prevent cessation of agricultural production, but may not counteract homogenization in marginal landscapes. Conserving high farmland habitat diversity in such landscapes may require support schemes, e.g., Pillar Two of EU Common Agricultural Policy.
Dissertation•
01 Jan 2009
TL;DR: In this article, it is revealed that commodification of rural areas in Norway is closely connected with exploitation of the physical environments including through the re-resourcing of land from marginal agriculture and abandoned industrial sites into second home developments.
Abstract: It is generally argued that commodification of rural areas leads to a change in the rural economy from being based on exploiting the physical environment to being mainly based on exploiting the aesthetical appeal of rural areas. In this articles however, it is revealed that commodification of rural areas in Norway is closely connected with exploitation of the physical environments including through the re-resourcing of land from marginal agriculture and abandoned industrial sites into second home developments. This re-resourcing has also been an economic driving force for related tourists housing and infrastructure developments. Politically, it has significantly influenced local power configurations. Simultaneously, external and local actors are commanded by stronger environmental regulations that govern the geography of re-resourcing. This article is based on studies of the municipalities of Ringebu and Kragero Norway, using analysis of planning documents and qualitative interviews.
TL;DR: Analysis of seed density in faeces and fleece showed that the potential for infestation from marginal land by sheep was relatively high during late spring, but strongly decreased in mid-summer, when plants in the marginal land had already shed their seeds.
Abstract: Seasonal stubble grazing by sheep is a widespread practice in the Mediterranean basin. However, farmers frequently claim that turning the sheep from marginal lands to the wheat fields after grain harvest increases the risk of weed infestation because of potential weed seed dispersal. We tested this claim by: (1) examining the potential of seed dispersal by sheep from marginal land via faeces and fleece, and (2) evaluating effects of summer stubble grazing on the size and composition of the weed seedbank and weed vegetation. Analysis of seed density in faeces and fleece showed that the potential for infestation from marginal land by sheep was relatively high during late spring, but strongly decreased in mid-summer, when plants in the marginal land had already shed their seeds. The potential of weed transport by faeces was negligible, compared with the seedbank in the field, and little overlapping of species was found between them. Summer grazing by sheep in a no-tillage wheat field over 5 years enlarged the seedbank. This increase, however, was mainly due to the less competitive small-grass species that were not found in the faeces or in the fleece. Combined ploughing, crop rotation, and herbicide application strongly reduced the seedbank. These integrated management practices eliminated the effect of summer grazing on the seedbank.
01 Jan 2009
TL;DR: Microalgae produce higher biomass and oil yields than traditional energy crops, and they can be cultivated on marginal land or in seawater, but major bottlenecks are high cultivation and harvesting costs, unfavourable energy balances, and the demand of nutrients.
Abstract: Microalgae produce higher biomass and oil yields than traditional energy crops, and they can be cultivated on marginal land or in seawater. Additional benefits can be achieved from co0production of food, feed and high0value chemicals as well as from environmental services, such as bio0fixation of CO 2 and wastewater treatment. However, biotechnical, environmental, and economic challenges need to be overcome before large0scale production of algal0based biofuels becomes economically feasible. Major bottlenecks are high cultivation and harvesting costs, unfavourable energy balances, and the demand of nutrients. Long0term R&D in biotechnology is needed to develop systems for the production of sustainable algal0based biofuels. Moreover, the availability of land and nutrients for
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore the ways in which the property tax influences the intensity, timing, and location of development and why frequent and accurate assessment are essential to make the tax an effective method of preventing speculative real estate bubbles.
Abstract: It is widely recognized that the economic crisis of 2009 was caused by unsound lending for real estate. Largely ignored, however, is that this contraction was easily predicted on the basis of a well-established pattern of land speculation, premature subdivision, and excessive building on marginal land that recurs approximately once every 18 years. Capital locked up in projects that are started during a land bubble is effectively lost during the downturn, leaving the nation without sufficient capital to finance ordinary business operations during the recovery period. The best instrument for avoiding this boom-bust cycle is the property tax and, more specifically, the portion that falls on land. We explore here the ways in which the property tax influences the intensity, timing, and location of development. We also examine why frequent and accurate assessment are essential to make the property tax an effective method of preventing speculative real estate bubbles.
01 Jan 2009
TL;DR: In this paper, Marginal land in Sweden is used for the purpose of phytoremediation, remediation, control or increased natural attenuation, bioenergy, and bioenergy.
Abstract: (1) Marginal land in Sweden; (2) Phytoremediation - remediation, control or increased natural attenuation; (3) Bioenergy; (4) Available additional resources - recycled manure, compost and municipal ...
Journal Article•
TL;DR: root-naked plus nutrient soils is the preferred transplanting method for switchgrass planting on marginal lands and has better survival rate and growth status than the nutrition pot seedlings.
Abstract: Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a widely adapted perennial (C4) grass and a potential bioenergy crop. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of marginal land types and transplanting methods on the establishment of switchgrass seedlings. One loam soil (CK) and three typical marginal land soils(sandy soil,coarse sand,and gravel soil) as well as three transplanting methods(nutrition pot,root-naked and root-naked plus nutrient soil) were used in this study,which was carried out using potted experiment in greenhouse. Switchgrass was suitable for planting on marginal lands,and plant height,tiller numbers,leaf numbers of main stem and dry weight were significantly reduced along with the decline of soil nutrient. Compared with the nutrition pot seedlings,the root-naked seedlings were in poor growth status with significantly lower survival rate,plant height,tiller numbers and dry matter weight,but the seedlings of root-naked plus nutrient soil had better survival rate and growth status than the root-naked ones. In summary,root-naked plus nutrient soils is the preferred transplanting method for switchgrass planting on marginal lands.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used a farmer-participatory approach to evaluate the performance of agricultural technologies for dry marginal areas in terms of their contribution to livelihoods and effect on the environment.
Abstract: This article reviews work that had the objective of introducing agricultural technologies in a marginal dryland area, the Khanasser Valley, northwestern Syria. The highly variable rainfall is barely sufficient to support livelihoods in this traditional barley—livestock production system. The valley is representative of other marginal dryland areas in West Asia and North Africa. We used a farmer-participatory approach to evaluate the performance of agricultural technologies for dry marginal areas in terms of their contribution to livelihoods and effect on the environment. The integrated approach allowed comprehensively comparing and evaluating the viability of promising technologies, including novel crops, intercropping, soil management techniques, and livestock rearing. The results show that improved barley varieties, olives, cumin, and lamb fattening can improve livelihoods, particularly for the land-owning households, whereas other households can benefit indirectly in terms of employment spillovers. The...
Journal Article•
TL;DR: The authors highlights how to deal with the conflicts of bioenergy and food security, the realizing of potentials of marginal land through the breeding of appropriate "multi-use crops" which could be energy crops with other usefulness, as well as the effects of biomass industry to Chinese agricultural and rural development.
Abstract: Agriculture/forestry is the sole industry that could sustain the global production of biomass,and thus will be of considerable significance to the renewable energy and materials.In order to develop bioenergy soundly in China,both the fully application of the available biomass resources,and the exploration of potentials of marginal land should be of equal importance.This paper highlights how to deal with the conflicts of bioenergy and food security,the realizing of potentials of marginal land through the breeding of appropriate "multi-use crops" which could be energy crops with other usefulness,as well as the effects of biomass industry to Chinese agricultural and rural development.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used technical efficiency (TE) frontier to evaluate agricultural productivity in Rufiji Basin in Tanzania and found that there was substantial technical inefficiency in maize farming.
Abstract: Agricultural land expansion in Tanzania, like in many other developing countries, is spurred by poor intensification of agriculture, where the use of irrigation and fertilizer is low, or sometimes applied inappropriately. Poor agricultural intensification and development in turn means pressure to convert forests and other marginal land to crop production in the quest to meet food and cash requirements. Using technical efficiency (TE) production frontier, this study empirically analyses agricultural productivity in Rufiji Basin. Identification of TE in agricultural production can be helpful for policy making aimed at finding ways to increase efficiency, and at the same time conserving environmental resources. The findings are that, estimated mean TE of maize is around 41% implying that there was substantial technical inefficiency in maize farming in Rufiji Basin. This would suggest that there are exists 59% potential for increasing maize yield at the existing level of their resources, and therefore reducing the pressure on forest resources by rural households in Rufiji basin. The relevant factors for improving technical efficient include household farming experiences, sex, religion, and household involvement in other occupations.
Journal Article•
01 Jan 2009
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Quinoa, cowpea, pigeonpea and mustard showed good adaptation to the environment and produced yields comparable to those reported from highly productive environments, making them promising alternative crops for diversification of production systems and the economic use of marginal land and water resources.
Abstract: Pilot studies were conducted at the Dubai based International Center for Biosaline Agriculture with the objective to identify alternative crops with potential for diversification of production systems in the Arabian Peninsula. Among the many crops examined, quinoa, cowpea, pigeonpea and mustard showed good adaptation to the environment and produced yields comparable to those reported from highly productive environments. Thus, maximum seed yield recorded was 2.58 t ha -1 in quinoa (Ames 13761), 3.09 t ha -1 in cowpea (TVu 9725), 3.56 t ha -1 in pigeonpea (ICP 995) and 3.04 t ha -1 in mustard (ATC 93142). These crops are tolerant to drought and salinity and have a wide range of uses, thus making them promising alternative crops for diversification of production systems and the economic use of marginal land and water resources. The ten best performing accessions were selected in each crop for further evaluation and development of suitable agronomic practices to introduce them to the farmers in the region.
01 Jan 2009
TL;DR: In this article, the economic impact of a potential shift in use of the land resource by replacing production of hay and pasture that provides feed for cow-calf beef operations in northwest and west central Minnesota with short rotation woody crops (SRWC) was measured with established input-output techniques.
Abstract: The utilization of short rotation woody crops (SRWC) to produce wood on marginal crop and pasture land could greatly enhance the production of wood for various uses in Minnesota with utilization for energy being of current interest. SRWC involves the more intensive application of inputs on more valuable land than naturally regenerated forests that currently supply the bulk of the forest products industry in Minnesota. Breeding efforts to improve productivity and disease resistance in hybrid poplar species are making the technology of SRWC competitive with agricultural uses of marginal land. This study models the economic impact of a potential shift in use of the land resource by replacing production of hay and pasture that provides feed for cow-calf beef operations in northwest and west central Minnesota with SRWC. Regional economic impacts of such a shift are measured with established input-output techniques, using the software tool IMPLAN. To complete this analysis, the magnitudes and sectors of expenditures needed to produce either beef calves or hybrid poplar plantations were compared using farm records and hybrid poplar budgets. Construction of a $175 million energy conversion facility capable of making 44 million gallons of ethanol and 7.6 million gallons of mixed alcohols by catalytic means following gasification would result in creation of 2,412 jobs during the construction period, with $158 million in value-added (mainly employee compensation and business taxes). Operation of the facility after the end of construction, if supported by 200,000 acres of hybrid poplar production, would not change the number of jobs very much compared with using the land for cow-calf operations. However, the SRWC-related jobs would likely be at higher average salary levels and business tax collections would be higher, for a value-added increase of $80 million annually. In addition to greater wood supplies to support the forest products industry, logging pressures may be reduced on public forest land as a consequence of greater deployment of technology and methods that can result in production per acre that is eight to ten-fold greater than naturally regenerated forests.
23 Aug 2009
TL;DR: In this article, the authors evaluated the effectiveness of alternately submerged and non-submerged (ASNS) over continuously submerged (CS) irrigation practices using three years of field experimental data on a coarse soil in the tropical region of eastern Indonesia.
Abstract: Rapid increase in world population and a corresponding increase in demand for water and land from industrial and municipal have forced the agricultural sector to use marginal land and irrigation water more efficiently by using less water to produce more food Coarse-textured and porous soils of the tropical regions are increasingly used for growing both upland and lowland rice In porous soils
under rice, continuous flooding cannot be maintained due to high water percolation rates Development of appropriate planning and management strategy to improve available water resources for the agricultural sector is a high national and global priority Increased efficiency in water use is essential for future food security in Asia where rice production needs to increase by 70% over the current
production by the year 2025 (Tuong and Bhuiyan 1999) However, experimental evidence for the hydrological and environmental conditions of coarse soils under which current rice-based cropping systems are practiced is limited Such studies will become more important as porous soils are increasingly used for irrigated rice-based cropping systems In this paper, we evaluate the effectiveness of alternately submerged and non-submerged (ASNS) over continuously submerged (CS) irrigation
practices using three years of field experimental data on a coarse soil in the tropical region of eastern Indonesia